Apple adds Samsung to its Android lawsuits

Steve Dowling, a spokesman for Apple, commented: "It's no coincidence that Samsung's latest products look a lot like the iPhone and iPad, from the shape of the hardware to the user interface and even the packaging. This kind of blatant copying is wrong, and we need to protect Apple's intellectual property when companies steal our ideas."

Samsung's statement said: "Samsung's development of core technologies and strengthening our intellectual property portfolio are keys to our continued success. Samsung will respond actively to this legal action taken against us through appropriate legal measures to protect our intellectual property."

The courts may take years to decide on the merits of the case, and how far a rectangular shape really can be patented, but the rising tide of lawsuits in smartphones shows the level of competition, and Apple's sense that its day in the sun is over.